hedonist222

Hello everyone

I like how riding attire is form fitting and aerodynamic

But sometimes I want to look casual and too race'y but baggy shorts and a t shirt hinder performance

pakeboi

Bontrager Solstice Cycling Jersey

"A high-function bike jersey for casual cyclists and enthusiasts looking for dependable comfort."

It's actually looser fit than it looks .

hedonist222

yeah similar to that

I'm sure Bontrager and Izumi are very well made but I honestly want to pay about $30 per jersey
I'd like to pick up a few colors

So maybe reasonable brands?

rydabent

T-shirt and rugby shorts are always my riding attire.

GAtkins

https://www.aerotechdesigns.com/

BobbyG

I commute in wicking T's and "performance" golf shorts. Some T's are looser, some are tighter. Same for the golf shorts. A form-fitting T and slim-cut golf shorts are not baggy. and can look sharp...even with my "physique".

GlennR

Wear whatever you're comfortable in.

frogman

It depends on what kind of ride you are doing. For going to the store, I will wear a T shirt, khaki cargo shorts, tennis shoes or even sandals. What ever I happen to be wearing at the time I ride my GT montain bike set up for casual street riding with street tires, platform pedals, rack in the back with two side bags if needed. There is a Safeway store three miles from our place, I can hop on the bike and go pick up some supplies without worrying about my attire Now for other cycling, I have carbon fiber, steel, and aluminum road bikes I enjoy riding, with them I go the full cycling attire, jersey, chamois lined shorts, Sidi shoes and Speedplay pedals. BTW, I always wear a helmet :-) During the heavy smoke air from the CA fires, most of my riding has been short spins with the GT mountain bike wearing a N95 mask. Thank goodness the air is finally clean again !

pakeboi

Bontragers’ are on sale .

Korina

Check Target's men's department; their athletic t-shirts are pretty nice, come in long or short sleeve, wick water very well, and won't break the bank. If it's too baggy for you, go a size smaller.

Milton Keynes

I normally just wear a moisture wicking shirt and gym shorts. I do have some jerseys I wear on long rides, but mainly I just dress casual.

jay4usc

Try Adidas, Nike or Under Armour

Cougrrcj

I commute with short-inseam hiking shorts (pockets for wallet, knife, phone, keys), my regular brief-style underwear, a lime or orange high-vis wicking t-shirt, ankle socks, and my work shoes. Helmet, wrap-around polarized sunglasses, classic crochet-back fingerless cycling gloves.

My commute is 12.5 miles each way, and my riding speed is close to 20mph - for a door-to-door time of 42-44 minutes including time spent stopped at traffic lights -- not bad for a 62+ yr-old Senior Citizen!

FWIW, I did it twice this past week.

On longer rides (30-100 miles), I wear a pair of padded cycling shorts instead of my normal skivvies under my hiking shorts - because I still want my pockets!!!

I'm not at all concerned about aerodynamic drag from my riding clothes...

BFisher

Exactly this.

I find a pair of Dickies work pants and a wool sweater works nice on cool mornings, sometimes with a base layer.

No problem keeping a good pace like that.

GlennR

My personal experience is that cycling specific clothing is better than street cloths if you're going for a workout or extended ride. It wicks away sweat better, cools better, prevents chafing better and I like multi layers since I can add and remove to dial in my comfort.
But for social and around town street cloths are fine.

I once went out for a 6 miles slow ride with my wife and wore street cloths with the exception of clipless shoes for my cleats... I was uncomfortable in the bum.

Having cotton briefs and shorts was no bueno on this ass hatchet.

UniChris

Cotton is obviously bad, but for the shorts end of things there's sort of a hierarchy of performance:

Cotton briefs and shorts (avoid)
Synthetic briefs and shorts (ok for a few miles)
Road shorts under cargo shorts/swim trunks or else MTB two part shorts
Road shorts on their own so they breathe best

For the upper half given I'm never going fast I don't technically own anything that is actually a "cycling jersey" but shop more for budget breathability and sun protection so have lots of cheap performance poly running, workout, etc shirts bough a bit loose. The ones in high vis colors are intentionally loud, but there are more muted colors available, too.

ofajen

What kind of fabric are these made from?

Otto

DeadGrandpa

Pffft!!! No padding is necessary. Compression boxers to keep things in place, normal non cotton shorts (I use Columbia PFG shorts) and a performance wicking shirt from a discount store, long sleeve ultra violet protection, and remember to put sunscreen on your ankles.

Korina

Polyester, I believe. You can only expect so much for $15. I layer when it’s chilly; two can take me to around 50F.

woodcraft

Various outfits- REI, Patagonia, Pearl Izumi, Aerotech, etc. etc.

sell mtn bike-like shorts that are stretchy, slim-fitting, with pockets and a zipper that doesn't go down too low.

These are good for urban & casual cycling. Skip the padding, or use liner shorts if you want.

gios

Sometimes I like to wear a tighter fit - what do they call it - race fit? Castelli fits that bill (newer ENTRATA V JERSEY and a few older ones too). For a comfortable fit, I have four older De Soto Sports solid color jerseys (1/4 zip) and they are my go-to (label says Made in the USA). The best and brightest colors are my $40 TheBlackBibs jerseys and the fit is between the two above (full zip - label says made in the p.r.c.).

I got a Assos jersey (same size I always wear - large) and the fit sucks. Made the mistake of washing it before I noticed the bulges at the chest. I don't wear it anymore (washed once) and if anyone wants it shoot me your address:

PDKL45

I wear moisture wicking t-shirts, bike pants/shorts and jogging shorts over the top for commuting. I use the t-shirts as a base layer now in Autumn, with long sleeve wicking t-shirts/MTB jerseys etc., under thin wind jackets. I have been using a whole lot of Decathlon clothing recently, including excellent ultra-light sweat wicking hiking t-shirts bought for about US $5.00. I think there's a Decathlon outlet in the US now as well; I love their pants, shorts and hiking clothes. I get their hiking shorts, also for about $5.00, and chop the integrated underwear section out of them, so I can wear them over the top of bike shorts for cycling or over non-chamois lycra shorts/leggings for walking and hiking.

Those shorts basically just hide any wild moose knuckles that may appear. The mere idea of a MAMIL can make some people break down and cry, rocking back and forth in the fetal position, while never once sparing a thought for your scrotal well-being. So if you're walking around families on river paths or hiking trails, or have to get off the bike for a coffee or coke, you can wear the shorts or keep them in a bike bag and slip them on when you stop, for politeness.

Germany_chris

This thread nicely feeds into the Grant Peterson thread

If you want to look casual on your bike just put on some shoes and go ride your bike

subgrade

I do 30-100 mile rides on a regular basis wearing regular underwear (both cotton and synthetic) and shorts or jeans, and haven't had any problems, maybe just a couple of times some minor chaffing, but nothing too bad. IME the cut (not having any seams along the contact points) is more important than the material itself. Obviously, a fitting saddle goes without saying.

UniChris

It happens that I do 30-100 mile rides on a regular basis... on a unicycle.

But that doesn't make it a typically recommended equipment choice any more than cotton briefs and jeans are.